ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the sea cucumber in its underwater habitat, while a fellow creature tells stories of Life on the Seafloor. The theoretical discussion revolves around how the sea cucumber is known to humans, tracing it in anthropology, marine science and Swahili culture. The notion of species is rethought, alongside the dynamics of scientific classification and epistemic uncertainty. Visual inscriptions and the scientific gaze are discussed in the context of early history of capitalism. The chapter ends with creative renderings of sea cucumbers in different parts of the world, including a song, folktales and mythology, concluding with an AI-generated story from a sea cucumber.
